tightened strings
by sheepeater
Summary: Smellershot Week, Day 7: Warm — Marriage, she scoffed internally. Who needs it?
1. just right

Day 2: Lonesome

**Title**: just right

**Word Count**: 1,424

**Characters/Pairings**: Jet, Smellerbee, Longshot, Sneers, mentions of others; slight Smellershot

**Timeline/Spoilers**: pre-series; no spoilers

**Summary**: And suddenly they weren't so empty, and the world wasn't such a lonely place anymore.

**Notes**: Welcome to Day 2 and my personal headcanons concerning these guys' origin stories.

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"Hey, kid. You okay?"

Her hand leapt to the knife at her side instantly, as she was startled awake from her light slumber. They wouldn't get her this time. This time, she was ready.

"Whoa there, take it easy. I'm not here to hurt you."

She scoffed. As if she'd be foolish enough to believe that bullshit. Did she look stupid to him?

"Hey, come on."

The girl merely growled at him. "What do you want?" Her voice came out raspy. Had it always sounded that way? She found it difficult to recall.

"I just wanna help you out."

A dry laugh escaped past her cracked lips. "And why would you do that?" It was a dog eat dog world out there. She'd learned that much in the past few days. And far too late, the small child lamented.

He smiled, then, the stick of wheat between his teeth bobbing upwards. But it was anything but happy. "Because I know what you've been through. The Fire Nation did this to you, didn't they?"

What was this guy getting at? She gave a curt nod, despite herself.

"Trust me. I know all about that. They did the same thing to me. My village was burned down, not a month ago." His words were laced with bitterness. "My village... My family..." He paused. "You must be hungry, eh kid?"

"What of it?" she barked, suddenly defensive.

"Again with the attitude," he smirked. "Like I said, I'm just trying to help ya out." Leaning down, he pulled an apple from his sleeve and urged her to take it.

Her gaze bore into him, suspicious. Just who was this guy? She contemplated it a moment longer, then grabbed the fruit swiftly and proceeded to scarf it down.

She'd been hurt badly; he could tell. Angry, red slashes marring both cheeks, hair singed at the ends made the message clear. And then that voice. No doubt it was from too much smoke inhalation. She was even worse off than he was. At least he hadn't been caught in the crossfire. No, he'd just been forced to watch from afar, helpless as they tore down everything he ever cared about.

A gruff voice interrupted his reverie. "Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?"

"Because. People like us, we gotta stick together. Or else none of us'll make."

She seemed to accept his answer, not acting as hostile as before. Slowly, he sunk down next to the girl.

"Hey, what's your name, kid?"

She tossed the apple core towards the back of the alleyway. "Does it matter? I'm not who I was before." No, she was just empty inside now.

"Fair enough."

.x.

"Come on. Let's get outta here." A girl, roughly his age, reached down, offering her hand to him.

And go where?

"To the forest. We've got a little group out there. The Freedom Fighters," she proclaimed with a hint of pride.

"…"

"Of course I can understand you. You're not that hard to figure out." Gloved fingers weaved their way through the thick, mossy mess atop her head. "We're all the same there. No home, no family. We stick together. Cos we're all we've got."

He raised a skeptical brow then. ...Freedom Fighters?

"We ambush Fire Nation troops and help out the people that need it. You look like you need someplace to go."

And those were just the bare facts. The Freedom Fighters meant so much more than that. It was the very group that she'd helped form with J- No. Jet and Smellerbee had not yet existed back then. The names they had made for themselves were who they were now. This congregation, it gave her a new drive in life, a purpose. Something had begun to seep into that seemingly endless void left behind by two vicious soldiers on that night two years past now. What that something was exactly, she wasn't certain of.

"So what do you say?"

His eyes lingered on the outstretched arm an instant longer. And then, "Okay."

.x.

"This is Sneers, that over there is Gauntlet, and you've already met Smellerbee. We don't have much, but we get by. And we make sure to knock a few Fire Nation heads along the way. We've all been hurt by those bastards, and this our way of paying 'em back and making sure no one else has to end up like us," the young man concluded. He couldn't be a day over twelve, but already he'd taken on the responsibility of leading this ragtag gang in small scrambles against the world's largest and most powerful military force. What the Fire Nation did to children like them...forcing them to grow up far too soon and to live like this... It was unforgivable.

"So you got a name, new guy?" the older boy inquired.

He shook his head.

"That's alright. We'll find one for you yet."

.x.

"Oi. Smellerbee."

The warrior looked up from sharpening her swords. It was Sneers. "Hm?" she grunted.

"You know if the new guy knows how to use any weapons?"

Annoyance set in. What a stupid question. "No," she grit her teeth. "Why don't you ask him, not me?"

His face scrunched up, proving that he lived up to his namesake quite adequately. "He hasn't said a word since he got here." Three days ago. "Thought you might know since you recruited him."

She blinked in surprise at this new piece of information and set her equipment aside. "Feh, I'll go find out," the girl muttered as she stomped off.

.x.

"Archery, eh? Show me how this thing works."

Silently, he knelt down and strung his bow. Bee herself preferred blades — knives, daggers, swords, you name it. Anything possessing even a vaguely sharp end and she could transform it into a deadly tool. It gave her a sick sense of satisfaction that she could wield so proficiently the same weapons that had once been used against her.

"You have to keep them tightened just the right amount. Too loose, and you won't be able to shoot very far. Too tight, and it might snap on you."

Her eyes fluttered open and closed in rapid succession.

Meanwhile, he stood, ready for a demonstration. Before she could even comprehend it, he'd pulled his right arm back and released. The boy shot with a deadly precision, taking down a sparowkeet, a fair distance away, in midair.

A playful smirk flitted across her features.

Some unknown time later (they'd both lost track of its passage), both set down their preferred weapons, breathing hard. The surrounding trees were a mess with arrows and daggers pointing out from every which angle. They'd settled into a companionable silence. Until...

"Everyone says they haven't heard you say a thing since I brought you here."

A noncommittal shrug.

"Well, why not? Your voice sounds perfectly fine to me."

He raised an incredulous eyebrow, as if to say, "Well, they haven't asked."

"'Course they haven't!" the girl exclaimed gruffly. "Everyone here's got a story, a past. And it's nobody else's business unless they choose to make it so."

Ah. He nodded in unspoken understanding, feeling a little foolish now.

"So how come...? How come you talk to me?"

Were a gaze able to stutter, then his did just that. If he was being honest with himself (which he always was), he really wasn't sure. There was something about this girl, something he couldn't quite place... He stared at her meaningfully, willing her to comprehend.

And she did. For, if she was being honest with herself (which she rarely was), there was something about this boy, too. That hole she carried within, that was slowly being repleted with Jet and Freedom Fighters and a forest with red leaves and... Well, this boy sitting right before her, who she'd known for only a matter of days...he'd somehow managed to seep in, as well. He was filling the cracks in her heart and seeming them up good. She would never be fully whole again, but perhaps somewhere close. And for the first time in her life, she found that she simply did not care. Because this boy, he made 'almost' into 'just right'.

Their gazes locked. And suddenly they weren't so empty, and the world wasn't such a lonely place anymore.

"Let's go...Longshot." A fitting name.

And then his eyes were alight with something that could almost be called happiness.

"You an' me are gonna make a great team. We'll give the Fire Nation hell!"

And the rest was history.

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_owaranai_

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**A/N**: Originally, I was going to use Pipsqueak along with Sneers as another the other earliest members, but a headcanon of mine contradicts this, so I gave you a made up Freedom Fighter. I mean, plenty of other kids inhabit the treetop hideout. Let's just say Gauntlet didn't survive and that hardened the other kids' resolves and hatred towards the Fire Nation even further. Hmm, I'm getting awfully caught up over a bit character that was only mentioned by name. xD Maybe someday I'll write more on Gauntlet and my theory for Pipsqueak's start.

Anyway, I put Smellerbee as about six when she lost her family and, two years later, Longshot lost his folks at nine years old.

Thanks for reading, and I hoped you enjoyed my take on the Freedom Fighters' history! Please let me know what you think! Any feedback at all will be greatly appreciated.


	2. come marching home

Day 5: Change

**Title**: come marching home

**Word Count**:

**Characters/Pairings**: Longshot, Smellerbee, Jet; Smellershot

**Timeline/Spoilers**: mostly post-series; spoilers for up to _2.17: Lake Laogai_

**Summary**: That volume of their lives had been forcibly slammed shut, with the end pages of a chapter called _Ba Sing Se_.

**Notes**: Disregards anything from _The Promise _comics.

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The same time each year, no matter where in the world they might be, two wandering Freedom Fighters made a pilgrimage back to the forest that would always be home to them. When the leaves were at their brightest red, Smellerbee and Longshot paid homage to their fallen leader and dear friend Jet and came to visit the shrine erected in his honour.

And this year was no different. The pair began their trek to the forest at the beginning of fall and arrived mid-season.

Though the two had eventually made peace with the events of Lake Laogai and could now visit their lost comrade with genuine smiles and inane tales, there was still a certain heaviness of the heart that would set in during each meeting. Memories from long ago would inevitably rear their ugly heads.

_. x ._

_"There's no time. Just go. We'll take care of him. He's our leader."_

_Jet managed a small smile to reassure the others and mask his pain - a far cry from his usual charming smirk. "I'll be okay, Katara."_

_Reluctantly, the Avatar and his team left the trio from Gaipan Forest behind. But Smellerbee didn't miss what the small, blind one mentioned to Ponytail as she walked away._

_"He's lying." _

_And that's when the tears began dripping down. She wiped the hair from Jet's forehead comfortingly. Longshot readied his bow and aimed for the door as a precaution._

_"H- hey," the boy below her croaked. "Don't you waste your tears on me."_

_Smellerbee felt her throat cave in. She shook her head violently; words wouldn't come. _

_"Shhh, shhh," he soothed. _

_"You don't get to comfort me, Jet! You're dying!"_

_He chuckled in response. Her tears only trickled down faster. Longshot was visibly shaking. "Same old Smellerbee. Uptight as ever," he grinned. _

_. x ._

The Freedom Fighters had long since disbanded. Contrary to popular belief, the events concerning the Avatar's visit did not result in immediate dissolution of the ragtag band. Instead, it planted small (but formidable) seeds of doubt within their very foundation.

A few more bumps down the road, and they were forced to let go of the facade of complacency and reached a difficult realization. The Fighters could not go on. Different from any ordeal they had encountered before, this was a battle that could not be won with clever words or sharp weapons poised to strike.

No, this battle, they would lose.

And while Jet had been their leader, he alone could not shoulder the blame. For the lot of them had followed him down that path to destruction willingly, had all felt the flames of hatred burn from within. Each and every one of those misguided children walked away with their own pieces of regret and sorrow and stumbled right past the point of no return.

It was time for a fresh start.

But, once a Freedom Fighter, always a Freedom Fighter. And that fact would prove be to both their downfall and saving grace all at once.

_. x ._

_Jet called out to the archer, his voice somewhat hoarse, "Put down your weapon, will ya? The Dai Li won't be coming. They wouldn't waste their time on some stupid kid that's already dead."_

_"Don't say that!" the girl at his side snapped. _

_Unperturbed by her outburst, he continued on, expression unfaltering, "The least you could do is see your old pal off, eh?"_

_Longshot took a deep breath then, lowering his bow. He turned to face his comrades. _

_"That must have been the most I've ever heard you speak at once. I must be something special to warrant that."_

_Though he'd kept calm so far, a heart could only take so much. At those words, Longshot felt the corners of his eyes dampen. He knelt down and took Bee's other hand, gripping tightly. She returned the squeeze, just as fiercely. _

_With his best friends before him, reduced to such a state, Jet finally let the act fall. "L- listen, you guys," he wheezed. "I'm sorry I put you through this. I guess I just couldn't...couldn't let go. Some leader I turned out to be."_

_"No, Jet! You were the best we could have ever had!" Smellerbee cried. The other boy nodded ferverently. _

_The weakening adolescent tried his best to smirk. "Nah, I know I made mistakes. If you see the others...tell 'em I'm sorry, too. You two...take care of each other." Silently, he added, 'Better than I did.'_

_A sniffle. "We will. We...we'll miss you, Jet. No matter what anyone says...you'll always be a hero. To all of us."_

_And for the first time in a long time, genuine happiness spread across the face of their fallen leader. In his diminishing gaze was a love and gratefulness that overshadowed any fear._

_"You know...the say that...to die...would be an awfully...big adventure..."_

_And the smile on his face never faded, even as Smellerbee reached out to close his lifeless eyes. _

_. x ._

Months later, Smellerbee and Longshot were still reeling from the loss of one of their own. His death was a heavy burden to bare. No amount of speed drills or training could have ever prepared them for this. For, though three upper-crust members' official departure from the tree house had taken place some time ago, the Freedom Fighters had never really dissolved. They were never truly alone. But those halcyon days were far behind them now. That volume of their lives had been forcibly slammed shut, with the end pages of a chapter called _Ba Sing Se_.

Their leader, their comrade, their friend. He was gone from them, never to return. The tragedy lay in the fact that he had truly yearned to change. But hatred is a hard thing to lsimply et go off. Jet was a lesson that they all needed to learn. Ah, fate was a cruel mistress indeed.

And just when they thought they could finally begin to cope, to see the sun again, a knock at the door had the world come crashing down once more.

_. x ._

_"No," she cried, voice cracking. "No!" She was about to lunge at the man's retreating figure, when-_

_A pair of warm, trembling hand restrained her. She turned to face the owner, her eyes wild. Almost imperceptably, Longshot shook his head. Not now. Not here, his eyes conveyed a silent message. _

_Quicker than they ever thought possible, they sprinted towards the outskirts of town, back to the woods – the only place that could provide even a smidgen of comfort. And privacy._

_Immediately upon arrival, the smaller of the two collapsed into the other one's awaiting arms. Silent tears streamed down both their faces as they clung to one another in their grief. The wound had been reopened and the ultimate irony stung in ways that physical injuries never could. The slashes on her cheeks and the burns on his bandaged arms were nothing compared to this._

_The scroll they had received lay forgotten in the dirt. Bequeathed in it was a polite summons from the Fire Nation Royal Palace with the promise of compensation and an explanation. But there was no need for the latter. The message had been addressed to 'Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot' and accompanied by a small portrait. _

_The signature at the bottom may have read 'Fire Lord Zuko,' but the picture was all Lee. _

_. x ._

Years later, a pair of gloved hands came to rest upon another's as they stretched across her midriff. It was still flat but with new life growing within.

"It's going to be an autumn baby." They shared a smile then.

_. x ._

_Scarlet leaves cascaded down in a vortex of colour. It was truly a spectacle to behold._

_"Jet would have loved the view here. Don't you think, Longshot?"_

_Head and hat bowed forward, he spoke quietly, "Yes. He would."_

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_Leaves from the vine_

_falling so slow_

_Like fragile tiny shells_

_drifting in the foam_

_._

_Little soldier boy_

_come marching home_

_Brave soldier boy_

_comes marching home_

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_owaranai_

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**A/N**: I hope you're having a good Smellershot Week! Please review! :)


	3. an unnecessary evil

Day 7: Warm

**Title**: an unnecessary evil

**Word Count**: 1,888

**Character/Pairings**: Smellerbee, Longshot, The Duke, Katara; Smellershot, mentioned Kataang and The Doph

**Timeline/Spoilers**: 7 years post-series; No real spoilers, unless you count them winning the war at the end? :p

**Summary**:_ Marriage_, she scoffed internally. Who needs it? ; Smellershot Week, Day 7

**Notes**: Now this is a little different because I had most of this formed before I had the themes, so I had to try to make it match with one of them. This idea had been sitting around in me head for a while, and I thought Smellershot week would be the best time to finish it up and see how you guys like it. :)

P.S. Thanks to Redrose for another nice review. It means a lot! :)

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"Smellerbee! Longshot!"

The pair whirled around and came face to face with the source of the noise. Well, more like face to chest for Smellerbee, anyway. She recognized the speaker immediately, and a cheeky grin slid onto her face. "Well, look what we have here, Longshot. I guess someone's had another growth spurt. I'm surprised you're not hitting your head on doorways everywhere you go, The Duke."

Even without his signature helmet, the youngest Freedom Fighter now towered over her by a good six inches. He rubbed the back of his neck bashfully, but his smile remained unperturbed. "I've missed your teasing, Smellerbee. I'm so glad you two could make it." And it was said with such earnest enthusiasm that it was contagious. Even Longshot couldn't keep from grinning ear-to-ear – in his own subtle way of course.

. x .

"Hah, you should have seen the look on that idiot's face when I pulled my knife on him!" Smellerbee cried, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Right, Longshot?"

Said archer bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment. His two companions at the table roared with laughter. He closed his eyes, relishing in the feeling.

It had been seven years since the Hundred Years' War had finally come to an end. The anniversary of the memorable event was in a couple of days, and that was precisely why the three had gathered together. All over the world, there was revelry, but allies of the Avatar and his gaang always held their own, more private celebration. This year, all guests were staying at the Fire Nation Royal Palace. Smellerbee and Longshot had been some of the last to arrive, and none had awaited them more eagerly than a sixteen-year-old The Duke.

The three had been exchanging stories of their adventures over the last four seasons for some time now. Or, rather, Smellerbee and The Duke had. Longshot preferred to let Bee do the talking for him. It was simply the way the pair worked, ever since the old days under Jet's leadership. Not to say that Longshot was uncommunicative, just not verbally.

It was late afternoon now, and it had been a few hours since their arrival.

Suddenly, Longshot's large ears picked up a low grumble. He turned, to his right, raising an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. Smellerbee had the decency to blush.

"Oh, shoot! I'm sorry, you guys! I didn't even think to offer you some food. And after that long trip you had..." It was apparent that Longshot wasn't the only one who'd heard.

The archer moved his gaze to The Duke. It was no big deal; they'd been busy chatting and catching up. They would just go get something to eat now.

"Yea, calm down, helmet-head. It's not like any of us are a stranger to hunger," shrugged the only girl amongst them.

The Duke relaxed. "Yea... Sorry about that," he smiled, a touch of embarrassment lingering on his cheeks. He and Longshot both stood.

The latter locked eyes with Smellerbee. We'll be right back, he nodded.

"Hey! Don't treat me like I'm helpless!" she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Both boys snickered, and her partner planted a kiss on her forehead placatingly, his stubble ghosting over her skin. She muttered a quiet "feh, jerk" under her breath, nonetheless.

"See you in a bit, Bee!" The Duke chirped happily. "We'll let the others know that you two finally made it. I'll try to wake up Pipsqueak, too. That big lug's been doing nothing but sleep since we got here." And with that, they were off.

After a few minutes of tapping her fingers impatiently, the swordswoman heard a pair of feet shuffling towards the door. "Took ya long enough! I'm starving..." she stopped short, seeing a very different face than the ones she'd anticipated.

"Sorry, I know you weren't expecting me," came the sugary sweet voice of Katara. "I passed the boys in the hall, and they told me I'd find you here. Don't worry, though. They'll have the food here in a few minutes."

"Oh. Yea. It's no big deal. I'm fine," was the unenthusiastic reply. Her rumbling stomach, however, said otherwise. "Damn it!"

The Avatar's girlfriend giggled, much to Smellerbee's chagrin. Ignoring the Water Tribe girl and noticing that her legs had fallen asleep, she used the table to push herself up quickly. She stumbled some, still not completely used to this little bump of hers.

"Oh!"

Smellerbee glanced up at Katara's exclamation. The other girl had her hands up over her mouth, and enthrallment was written all over her face. The Freedom Fighter cocked an eyebrow in silent question. (Longshot had rubbed off on her quite a bit over the years; she liked to think that the exchange was mutual.)

"Congratulations!"

Needless to say, Bee was very much confused and the out-of-the-blue kudos, until it suddenly clicked. "Oh, this?" she chuckled, lightening up some around this newcomer. Her hand came down to rest on the slight bulge of her stomach, and she beamed fondly. The glow of motherhood was all about her, the fact not escaping Katara's keen observations.

"How far along are you?" she all but squealed.

Not one much for acting reserved, the shorter of the two noted, though she couldn't hide the pride in her voice when she responded, "About three months and a half months." She could barely believe it herself. This baby had changed her life in the best way possible. Neither she nor Longshot knew how much they had wanted this until it actually happened.

"I'm so happy for you," gushed Katara, pulling the surprised warrior into a tight hug.

After being released from the waterbender's vicegrip, Smellerbee took her seat and murmured a quick, but sincere, "Thanks."

"You and Longshot must be so excited!" Katara began fumbling. "I mean, it _is _him, right? I didn't mean to assume, I just thought since you're always together... I, uh..." she trailed off, smiling hopefully.

The light blush dusting her companion's cheeks was more than enough confirmation. Her grin widened."I didn't even know you two were married!"

Somewhat awkwardly, Bee replied, "We're not."

The waterbender's expression dampened but quickly lit up again. "So you're engaged, then?"

"No."

"Oh," exclaimed Katara, who was desperately trying to keep from appearing every bit as scandalized as she was.

Smellerbee resisted the urge to roll her eyes and merely let out a sigh. "Look, I know what you're thinking," she started, fighting to keep her irritation at bay. Though they hadn't been on the best terms after that first encounter in that forest near Gaipan years ago (had it been that long already?), and understandably so, Bee had since come to accept the Water Tribe girl and even admire her skills. There was certainly no denying the pivotal role Katara had played in stopping the Fire Nation's advance. (Not that she and her partner had just sat on their asses during that final battle.) They were far from being bosom buddies, but there was a mutual respect that ran between them and a distant sense of camaraderie.

"I know it may not seem 'proper' to you," she went on, "but Longshot and I don't need some phony marriage ceremony to validate what we have. It's great if that's what you want for you and Aang, but it's not for us. Hell, this baby solidifies our relationship more than some dumb wedding certificate ever could. What I'm trying to say is that we love each other, and that's all that really matters." Her voice had begun to stutter towards the end of her address. Smellerbee wasn't the most comfortable with sharing her feelings with others, but this was something she felt she had to make the other girl comprehend.

Katara stared at her for a moment more, then nodded. Although the gesture signified that she acknowledged her reasoning, Smellerbee could tell that the thought still didn't sit well with the waterbending master. Well, the petite swordsmaster conceded to herself, it wasn't her fault she was raised on different values – what with her two loving parents (though one had been tragically torn from her) and a family bound by blood, while the Freedom Fighters had no one but each other and struggled just to survive. There was no time or need to instill such beliefs as the sanctity of wedding vows into their young minds._ Marriage_, she scoffed internally. Who needs it? An unnecessary evil at best.

A cough tore through the awkward silence that had ensued.. "Well, the boys should be back any minute now, so I'll leave you guys to yourselves." The speaker seemed to be very interested in her feet just then. "I'm sure you have some more catching up to do."

"Yea," Bee replied shortly.

Katara rose and made to leave but delayed for a second longer. "Smellerbee?"

"Huh?"

"Congratulations, again," Katara mumbled, not unkindly.

"Thanks, again," Smellerbee smirked as the other girl walked out the door. She knew that they had an understanding.

A few moments later, more footsteps could be heard and Longshot made his way into the room. He greeted her with that loving gaze that never failed to fill her insides with butterflies. She scowled at the thought of such girly attributes.

He moved to stand next to her and placed their meals on the table.

'I see someone made a new friend.' And it would have been a completely innocent and unnoteworthy comment, had his partner not spotted just a tinge of deviousness in his eyes.

"You heard that?" she croaked, blushingly, averting her eyes.

In response, he pulled Smellerbee to her feet, and his hands quickly found her waist. Leaning his head down, his look conveyed another message to her. 'I had no idea you felt so strongly about us, Bee!' he 'said' playfully.

She socked him in the arm. Ah, he'd been expecting that. "Shut up, you jerk."

'Never thought I'd hear that,' his eyes seemed to say, laughing silently.

Bee's own eyes narrowed dangerously, and she tugged his ponytail sharply in retaliation, forcing his head down to her level. Unruffled, he brought a hand up to brush her cheek affectionately. That ever present facepaint of hers was one of the many things he loved about the warrior. A pair of arms snaked their way around his neck. And then suddenly, there was no longer any need for words.

Not too much later, a groan was elicited from the doorway. "Oh come on, guys." The Duke cried, slapping a hand over the upper half of his face to block vision. "You're _already_ pregnant, Bee!"

No answer.

"Guys!"

Grudgingly, Smellerbee moved her mouth away from Longshot's and flashed a wicked grin in the younger boy's direction. "Don't act like you're not doing exactly the same with that little Bei Fong girl of yours. Three years older than you, too! Who says you don't got game?" she winked.

That shut him up quick. "What- How-" he squeaked.

"You should know better than to think you can keep anything from the great Smellerbee an' Longshot!" she crowed. And this time, the sound of real laughter escaped the archer's lips. This warm feeling inside... He wouldn't trade it for anything.

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_owaranai_

**A/N**: I really liked how this turned out! Thanks for reading, and I hope you guys had a great Smellershot Week! :D Even though this is the final fic, it was actually the first one I wrote. As mentioned above, I got the idea before I got the themes.

I left all of their future occupations ambiguous, so that you can decide for yourself what these guys are up to – whether they're still in the Freedom Fighter's or have maybe settled down somewhere, etc. I still referred to them as such, though, because hey, once a Freedom Fighter, always a Freedom Fighter. They just might not be on active duty. But, we all I know is that they're still kicking ass no matter where they go. :)

Btw, Smellerbee and Longshot are both 21 and 22, respectively. I pegged them at about 14 or 15 during the series. If you want some visuals, this lovely fanart by Doodlebuggy on deviantart is how I imagine our favourite pair when they're older:

/art/Older-Smellerbee-and-Longshot-70985828

Thanks so much for all of the support! Please let me know what you thought. :)


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